Tape dispenser



June 8, 1965- TAPE DISPENSER Filed Oct. 11, 1963 EDWARD A. FAVRE INVENT R AT rom'vns E. A. FAVRE 3,187,968

which has obvious disadvantages.

United States Patent 3,187,968 TAPE DISPENSER Edward A. Fayre, 183 Weston St, Waltham, Mass. Filed Oct. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 315,501 7 Claims. (Cl. 225-56) The present invention relates to tape dispensers and, more particularly, to automatic dry-adhesive roll tape dis pensers.

Numerous dispensers are available for use in connection with dry-adhesive tapes of, for example, the Scotch type manufactured by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. Some dispensers merely provide means for withdrawing by hand a desired length of tape and severing the same to enable subsequent application to a surface. The user must handle the tape in such instances,

Other prior-art dispensers, however, enable the automatic withdrawal of the tape as the dispenser is moved along a surface, applying the tape during such movement without handling thereof, and then enabling the severing of the same. The free end of the tape in such devices adheres to the roll after each application, necessitating removal therefrom, and, further, this is not easily effected because the roll is recessed between the walls of the device. Also, the tape is subject to fracture during the movement of the dispenser, and, in addition, the severing mechanism does not enable facile severance of the tape.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved dispenser for a dry-adhesive roll tape and the like, which is not subject to the above disadvantages and, to the contrary, obviates the necessity for unsticking the free end of the tape or restarting the same and exerts a resilient control action upon the tape withdrawal that resists fracture.

A further object is to provide a dispenser which enables such automatic application in a controlled and uniform manner.

Other objects will be apparent in the description to follow and will be particularly with the appended claims.

Generally, and by way of summary, the objects of the invention are attained in a tape dispenser comprising a tape-receiving container provided along an edge with an opening through which the tape may be withdrawn. A cutter is disposed at one side of the opening and the other side serves as a stop. A roller is mounted within the opening between the cutter and the stop and extends outward beyond the said container edge. The roller is slightly displaced from the stop to define a space or slot therebetween. The tape extends outward through the said space to enable automatic dispensing thereof as the container is moved over a surface with the roller pressing the said outward extending free end of the tape against the said surface.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which- FIG. 1 is a perspective of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing a dry-adhesive tape being applied to a surface by pressure from a resilient roller; and

FIG. 2 is an elevation view, illustrating the device of FIG. 1 being operated to sever the tape by the use of a cutter after a predetermined length of tape has been applied to the surface;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing the roller and the cutter in detail and also showing pads to prevent curling back of the, free end of the tape subsequent to severance thereof with a detailed showing of a tape releasing means in the event that sweeping back of the tape occurs in handling subsequent to the said severance;

FIG. 4 is a partial elevation view of the eiements shown pointed out in connection.

3,187,958 Patented June 8, 1965 in FIG. 3 showing the free end of the tape swept back across the release means; and

FIG. 5 shows the means by which the adhered free end of the tape is released.

The tape dispenser comprises a generally circular cylindrical container 1, as of plastic, the planar parallel side walls 6 and 7 and edge wall 8 of which house a dry-adhesive tape 2 fixedly wound by the manufacturer of the said tape upon a hollow core 3 that is rotatably mounted about a fixed bearing 12. A braking member 12', which may be molded as part of the bearing 12 but which extends slightly outward from the outer diameter of the bearng 12, serves to prevent undesired rotation of the roll 2 when the dispenser is not in use. Along the edge 8, near the apex thereof in FIG. 1, an opening 13 is pro vided through which the free end 2 of the tape may be withdrawn, as hereinafter discussed, with the tacky adhesive surface 4 exposed. A cutter blade 11, serrated at 11', is disposed at one side of the opening 13, shown at the right in FIGS. 3 through 5, and a stop 16 is provided at the other or left-hand side of the opening. The cutter blade 11 is held within a slot 14 with the ends thereof engaged in recesses 15 and 15', FIG. 1, in the walls 6 and 7, respectively.

A resilient roller 9 of rubber or the like is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 10 and within the opening 13 between the cutter 11 and the stop 16, with a space or slot 5 defined therebetween, and extends outward beyond the said container edge. The tape 2 extends outward at 2', FIG. 1, through the slot 5 to enable the automatic controlled dispensing thereof upon a surface 20, as later described. It will be observed, however, that at the apex of the container, the side walls form substantially triangular extensions 6 and 7' that support the shaft 10 of the roller 9 and provide a guard for the cutter blade 11, defining a substantially linear application region L extending between the saidapex and a rib 1'7, beyond which the roller 9 protrudes. A pair of pads 18 and 19, in FIG. 3, are molded to the inner surface of the extensions '7' and 6', respectively, extending into the space between the said extensions. The distance between the pads 13 and 19 is less than the width of the tape 2. As the tape is severed by the cutter 11, in a manner to be hereinafter discussed, it passes beyond the said pads, FIG. 2, the tacky surface 4 thereof adhering to the underside of the pads, thus preventing the tape from curling back upon the dispenser.

To dispense the tape 2, the dispenser 1 is placed with the region L, FIG. 1, adjacent the surface 29 to which the tape is to be applied, with the roller 9 pressing the tacky surface 4 of the extension 2' against the surface 20;- V the dispenser 1 is then moved over the surface 20 in the direction of the arrow A, FIG. 1, and the tape becomes automatically withdrawn from the roll 2 under the resilient tensioning action of the roller 9, thus minimizing the tendency to fracture, and the tape is automatically dispensed in a controlled manner during such movement, being pressed by the roller 9 into adhesive engagement with the surface 20. The resilient character of the roller 9 insures adherence of the tape even upon irregular surfaces 24) or if the dispenser is not held strictly perpendicular to the surfaces.

When it is desired to cut the tape, the dispenser is rotated in the direction of the arrow B, FIG. 2, while still moving the dispenser in the direction of the arrow A with the apex of the triangular parallel wall extensions 67' as the pivot point, so that the cutter edge 11 will engage a portion 2" of the tape therewithin that is held in tension above the surface 20. Continued pulling in the general direction A will cause severance of the tape, with the free end that is connected with the roll 2 ready for subsequent application without handling, being held in place'by the pads 18 and 15 as before mentioned.

When the dispenser is not in use, there may occur ac cidental sweeping back of the end of the tape 2' by careless handling, etc., in which event the end is prevented from curling upon the roll by the stop 16, and, instead, it adheres to the outer surface of a quick release means, bridging the stop 16 and the rib 17, which act, in combination, to form the quick release means. The distance between the stop 16 and the rib 17 is just slightly less than the length of the swept-back tape. The adhered tape may be released by a downward force of the index finger of the user, as shown in FIG. 5. The tape is prevented from withdrawing back through the slot by the braking means 12, before discussed.

In order to enable accurate transverse positioning of the tape 2 relative to the surface 2 t, as, for example, positioning with respect to a line 22, FIG. 1, a viewer window or opening, shown at 21 in FIGS. 1 and 3, may

be provided, the opening 21 being made by removing substantially one half the material at the bottom end of the said quick release means.

The tape 2 is inserted into the dispenser by removengagement of dowel protrusions in the wall '7 within corresponding recesses as in, for example, the stop 16, and at other points along edge 8, when needed.

While the dispenser has been described, in connection with a dry-adhesive tape, it may clearly be used with other materials wherein the advantages of the invention are desired.

Further modifications will also occur to those skilled in the art, and all such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tape dispenser having, in combination, a tapereceiving container provided along an edge with an opening through which the tape may be withdrawn, one side of the opening having a cutter and the outer side serving as a stop, a resilient cylindrical roller mounted within the opening between the cutter and the stop and extending outward beyond the said container edge, the tape extending outward through the space between the stop and the roller in order to enable the automatic dispensing of the tape as the container is moved over a surface with the roller pressing the said outward extending'tape against the said surface and a pair of inwardly extending pads disposed in the opening between the roller and the cutter to retain the outwardly extending tape in position for automatic dispensing.

2. A tape dispenser having, in combination, a tape-receiving container provided along an edge with an opening through which the tape may be withdrawn, one side of the opening having a cutter and the other side serving as a stop, a resilient roller mounted within the opening between the cutter and the stop and extending outward beyond the said container edge, the tape extending outward through the space between the stop and the roller in order to enable the automaticdispensing of the tape as the container is moved over a surface with the roller pressing the said outward extending tape against the said surface, the stop being slightly spaced from the roller to prevent curling back of the cut tape end upon the roll and a quick release means to enable .the facile removal of adhered tape from the container surface, the release means comprising the stop and a rib separated therefrom a predetermined distance.

3. A tape dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and in which the tape is spirally wound about a hollow core, and the dispenser is provided with a bearing member upon which the said hollow core is rotatably mounted, the bearing member having braking means to prevent rotation of the tape roll when the dispenser is not in use.

A tape dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and in which a viewer is provided to enable transverse positioning of the tape relative to the said surface.

5. A tape dispenser having, in combination, a tapereceiving container provided along an edge with an opening through which the tape may be withdrawn, one side of the opening having a cutter and the other side serving as a stop, the container having a pair of wall extensions guarding the cutter, a resilient roller mounted within the opening between the cutter and the stop and extending outward beyond the said container edge, the tape extending outward through the space between the stop and the roller in order to enable the automatic dispensing of the tape as the container is moved over a surface with the roller pressing the said outward extending tape against the said surface, the dispenser having pad means adjacent the cutter adapted to retain the outwardly extending tape 7 in position for automatic dispensing, and a quick release means to enable the facile removal of adhered tape from the container surface, the cutter being recessed slightly within the wall extensions a distance suflicient to prevent adherence of the tape end to the said surface upon severance thereof by the cutter.

6. A tape dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and in which the container has a pair of wall extensions guarding the cutter, the cutter being. recessed slightly within the wall extentions a distance sufiicient to permit adherence of the tape end to the said. surface upon severance thereof by the cutter. t

7. A tape dispenser as claimed in claim 6 and in which the container is generally cylindricaland the extensions are substantially triangular with the cutter near the apex thereof, severance of the tape being effected by pivoting the dispenser about the said apex thereby to bring the extended tape into contact with the cutter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,499 3/22 Casterline et al 225-41 X 2,324,204 7/ 43 Fischer 22544 X 2,527,588 10/50 Sorenson 156527 2,607,508 8/52 Clampitt l56-527 2,640,656 6/53 Donkin 22525 2,683,547 7/54 Fischer 156527 3,123,265 3/64 Houserp; 22519 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TAPE DISPENSER HAVING, IN COMBINATION, A TAPERECEIVING CONTAINER PROVIDED ALONG AN EDGE WITH AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE TAPE MAY BE WITHDRAWN, ONE SIDE OF THE OPENING HAVING A CUTTER AND THE OUTER SIDE SERVING AS A STOP, A RESILIENT CYLINDRICAL ROLLER MOUNTED WITHIN THE OPENING BETWEEN THE CUTTER AND THE STOP AND EXTENDING OUTWARD BEYOND THE SAID CONTAINER EDGE, THE TAPE EXTENDING OUTWARD THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE STOP AND THE ROLLER IN ORDER TO ENABLE THE AUTOMATIC DISPENSING OF THE TAPE AS THE CONTAINER IS MOVED OVER A SURFACE WITH THE ROLLER PRESSING THE SAID OUTWARD EXTENDING TAPE AGAINST THE SAID SURFACE AND A PAIR OF INWARDLY EXTENDING PADS DISPOSED IN THE OPENING BETWEEN THE ROLLER AND THE CUTTER TO RETAIN THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING TAPE IN POSITION FOR AUTOMATIC DISPENSING. 